Spring Cleaning with Oprah & Deepak, “Getting Unstuck: Creating A Limitless Life”

With the start of spring on March 20th, I decided to do some internal spring cleaning and today I started the latest free mediation experience with Oprah & Deepak. “GETTING UNSTUCK: CREATING A LIMITLESS LIFE”

Just like magic this Oprah and Deepak meditation came to my inbox.  March 2021 marks one year since the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed daily life, with many people remaining “stuck” at home to help participants cultivate presence, tap into potential and unlock creativity to release stagnation and improve mental health.

 I’m not new to meditation, I’ve been doing it pretty regularly for fews years. I try to meditate every day, but my focus has been off for the last couple of weeks. This 21-Day Mediation programs by Oprah and Deepak , came to the rescue. It’s free, easy to use and always provide such a wonderful source of inspiration for my meditation practice.

The Challenge starts today March 18, its not too late to join Oprah and Deepak experience more energy, creativity and light in every facet of your life, sign up today or access on the Chopra App. 

Be Well!

Creating Peace from the Inside Out: The Power of Connection

For many people, new "stay-at-home" orders are going into effect daily. Here in Truckee we've reverted to distance learning until January. So my kids are home full-time, again, and with the cold weather and early nightfall, it's hard to get outdoors. All this time at home can be a good thing, but it also means more getting on each other's nerves, more eating, more preparing meals for everyone, and more stress   With COVID-19 still spreading across the country and around the world, my family and many others I know  are looking for ways to create greater peace in our lives.   

 I was happy to discover that Chopra Global and Oprah Winfrey have re-released their popular 21-Day Meditation Experience “Creating Peace from the Inside Out: The Power of Connection" in response to this trying year and amidst the divisive election, health pandemic, and social unrest. 

The free, 21-day meditation experience is available now, and will help participants resolve conflict and make a connection with their true self, hopefully leading to a greater inner peace, which will naturally extend to family, friends, the community and the world. 

Most of us are restricted in terms of where we can travel and who we can visit Thanksgiving holiday. I know a lot of family won't be able to be together this year.  My sister and I will not be able to share a meal. But we can still be there to support one another. I am thankful for this free meditation and the power of connection

 You can sign up for the meditation here or if you have the Chopra app on your phone, it appears in the Free Mediation section.

Three Ways to Avoid Single Use Plastics During the COVID-19 Crisis

This month is Plastic Free July, the 31 days every year when millions of people pledge to give up single-use plastics.

I join this pledge each year as a reminder of just how much plastic we consume and try to do my part to eliminate as much plastic as I can during this month.  This year makes things a whole lot more difficult with the Coronavirus pandemic. Single-use items, from personal protective equipment (PPE) to disposable coffee cups are on the rise. 

Here in Truckee, CA, I know that single use gloves and masks are littered on the roadsides and the shores of our beautiful lakes.  Stores have paused on plastic bag bans and many other many states have backtracked on bag bans as well. Coffee shops have temporarily prohibited reusable mugs.

I am determined to keep fighting for a cleaner and healthier world, Join me this month for a Plastic Free July.  Avoid as many plastic items in your life and replace them with a sustainable alternative.

Here are three ways to get started this year..

1. Avoid Plastic Bags While Grocery Shopping

For the time being, reusable bags aren’t allowed in grocery stores. But, I say no to single use bags at the store and I just leave the groceries in my cart and I’ve just been keeping the reusable bags in my car taking my groceries to bag in the car and avoiding the single-use plastic altogether.

2. Use a Washable Face-mask and Gloves– Not Disposable.

I’ve been opting  for a reusable/washable mask. If you have spare fabric and can sew, make your own. For gloves, I’ve been wearing some ski glove liners that I usually use in the winter and just wash them after each use.  And of course, washing my hands frequently.

3. Be Smart with Anti-Bac

I’ve purchased a large bottle of hand sanitizer instead of mini bottles and just refill my travel-size containers. I’ve also made my own hand gel using high % alcohol and aloe. And, at home instead of using disposable wipes, I’ve been using anti-bacterial spray with reusable cloth rags. If you do use wet wipes, do not flush them down the toilet They contain harmful plastic microfibers that end up in the water systems

There are many more ways to go plastic free, pick a couple that work for you and start the Plastic Free July Challenge today!

• Eat less meat

• Use a reuseable water bottle

• Use canvas bags vs plastic

• Ride your bike instead of driving to the store

• Use bar of soap vs body wash 

• Purchase bamboo toothbrushes

• Use reusable dishcloths vs paper towels

• Shop at your local farmers market

• Support local, sustainable businesses

Finding Hope in Uncertain Times with Deepak and Oprah's Free Guided Meditation

With the rapid spread of Coronavirus around the globe, it is understandable that many of us feel helpless. So how can we keep ourselves sane in these unpredictable times? 

Join Deepak Chopra and Oprah and millions of meditators around the world to find peace of mind in the midst of turmoil and do your part to help our global community find hope and optimism and become more mindful.

I completed the 21-Day Meditation Challenge, "Hope in Uncertain Times," from Deepak and Oprah, in 2017. Today, with COVID-19, the meditation conveys a whole new meaning. I am grateful that Deepak and Oprah have re-released this mediation so we can all join the #HopeGoesGlobal movement. it is free, easy to use, and provides a wonderful source of inspiration.

I personally have been feeling overwhelmed lately and this could have not come at a better time. This challenge has a focus on how to embrace uncertainty as an opportunity to grow and evolve. I am only on Day 3, but I’m feeling more centered already. I try to meditate first thing in the morning before my kids are up and start their distance learning.

You can still sign up for the challenge here or if you have the app on your phone, it appears in the Free Meditation section.

Mindfulness and Healing in a Time of COVID-19 - Free Live Stream with Jon Kabat Zinn

Looking for some support in this time of need.? Jon Kabat-Zinn offered a Free Live Stream that explored how to address, anxiety, depression and mental health issues as we all “stay at home” or “shelter in place.”

More than ever, it is important to create a home practice of mindfulness and meditation. Learn how to better care for yourselves and how to care for others in this difficult time. There will be a mediation by Jon Kabat-Zinn followed by a talk and Q & A.

Thanks Jon Kabat-Zinn and Wisdom 2.0 for hosting a free live meditation on Wed. March 25rthat 1pm (PST) and 4pm (EST)

 Great news: Wisdom 2.0 will also be holding more of these with Jon.

Have Friends Who Want to Join?

Feel free to spread the word! They can Sign Up Here >>>
 

Learn more about Zoom access and adding to calendar below.

https://zoom.us/j/92482566387

Time: Apr 20, 2020 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
        Every day, until Apr 24, 2020, 5 occurrence(s)
        Apr 20, 2020 11:00 AM
        Apr 21, 2020 11:00 AM
        Apr 22, 2020 11:00 AM
        Apr 23, 2020 11:00 AM
        Apr 24, 2020 11:00 AM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Daily: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJYpf-utqD0pEtPD3PZ2MVekZTC6jmTUsw4K/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCqqjMoH9KTsxGARowQBoqga-_wpiFej7dtuEzVOXJ-VAb9DNZhZLhyJO3D

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92482566387

Past Sessions

The full sessions can be accessed here >>>. You can also see them and various highlights on our Youtube page.

Jon Kabat Zinn, PhD is an author, scientist, and mindfulness teacher . He is professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society in 1995, and its world-renowned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Clinic in 1979. He is the author of 14 books, including the bestsellers Full Catastrophe Living; Wherever You Go, There You Are; and Mindfulness for Beginners, and the new four-volume update of Coming to Our Senses (2108/2019).

Please note: If you cannot join us live, we will share the video of the session after so all can enjoy, even if you are not free at this time.

The Science of Being Happy

I just finished an amazing free online course called the Science-of-Well-Being.  Since it’s free and focused on mindfulness, I had to give it a try.  Dr. Laurie Santos of Yale University overviews what psychological science says about happiness in order to teach students how to lead a happier, more satisfying lives. The course also gives learners tips to apply wellness activities into their lives.

This class does not treat serious mental health issues like anxiety or depression. However, Dr. Santos’ class does provide space to have much needed conversations about mental health and happiness. And who couldn’t doesn’t want a free lesson on how to live a happier life?

So many of us are suffering from issues, such as relationship problems, substance misuse, physical health problems, job or financial problems, and recent crises.  Why not spend a little of your time to focus on well- being?

The class starts out by going over what you think makes you happy (but really doesn’t) and then in the later weeks, she reveals what actually makes us happy, based on scientific  research.  Spoiler alert:  Dr. Santos gives simple assignments that focus on such things as meditation and gratitude practice.  One week my assignment was to write down 3 things I was grateful for that day.  This simple assignment helped to focus my mind on the positive.  I was, also, so impressed with the questions the students from Yale..  Their insights and questions  made me want to be back on a collage campus.  

The multipart seminar-style series - filmed last year in Dr. Santos’ home - is available for free on Coursera.

The no-charge option for the course doesn’t include all the assignments and class materials — there’s a $49 tuition fee if you’d like all the available materials. I just took the free course and it gives you complete access to all the lectures.

So, 6 weeks later, am I a happier person for taking the Science of Well-Being?  Yes, I think it was time well spent for me.  I learned how to focus my mind and body with the simple tools that Dr. Santos shares in her course.  Thanks to Dr. Santo's and Yale for making this course available to the public for free.  I am grateful to be a student of the Science of Well-Being.

Eco-Friendly Wrapping for the Holidays

I come from a family that saved every ribbon and bow from Christmas morning and reused any wrapping paper fragments large enough to use again. I try to reuse, and this year I decided to try to be a little more eco-friendly when doing my holiday gift wrapping.

Here are a few low-waste alternatives:

Paper Gift Bags – You can use these many times and they make wrapping so much easier.

Fabric Wrap – use scraps of old fabric, a scarf you don’t need anymore, or even old shirt and fashion it into a bag that can be used over and over again.

Magazine Pages - for a smaller gift, use some colorful pages of a magazine.

Reusable Produce Bags - I’ve been  giving most people on my list gifts wrapped in Be Mindful Reuseable Produce Bags this year. It's a bag that can be reused all year long!

Gift wrap is big business and since most of it is not recyclable, it ends up in the trash. So if you have’t purchased wrapping paper this year, don’t! Skip the wrapping paper and think of more sustainable gift wrap ideas for the Holidays.   

Living with Climate Change

Climate change can be overwhelming. While looking for practical ways to help our planet, I listened into a dharma talk with Jack Kornfield on climate change that focused on our connection with nature and how we can make a difference with compassion and love.  

Looking to learn more about the causes and responses to climate change? Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization that works to identify the top 100 solutions to reversing global warming. Drawdown.org has 100 ideas in use now that could lead to the drawdown point (when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and then steadily decline, ultimately reverse global warming).

We all know that eating a plant based diet and using electric transport will help with climate change, but some of the other things on the list may surprise you.

Here are the top 10 -

1. Refrigerant Management

2. Wind Turbines, onshore

3. Reduction of Food Waste

4. Plant-Rich Diet

5. Tropical Forests

6. Educating Girls

7. Family Planning

8. Solar Farms

9. Silvopasture Livestock

10. Rooftop Solar

There is so much work we can do to help reverse global warming. The creators of Project Drawdown, have calculated that about 1/8 of human-caused atmospheric carbon emissions are due to agriculture, food preparation, consumption and waste. The good news is that this is a great place for you to make changes in your daily life that can have a real impact. This summer, buy food from your local farmers market and CSA share pick ups and of course, bring your Reusable Produce Bags to the market.

Be sure to share with us here at Be Mindful what you are doing to make a difference in your community.

Join the Plastic Free July Challenge

If you have not yet joined the zero-waste movement, now is a great time to start.  For the entire month of July, people all over the world will take part in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to reduce personal consumption of single-use plastic.

Plastic is taking over our planet, and it is happening breakneck pace.  Almost half of the plastic ever manufactured has been made in the past 15 years. Eight billion pounds of plastic finds its way to the ocean each year.  At our current rate of plastic production, consumption, and disposal, the oceans will contain more plastic then fish by 2050! 

 So, what can we do to stop this plastic consumption? I believe that action, even by a few people can make a difference. I decided to take the Plastic Free July Challenge again this year.  I participated in the Challenge for the past two years, and it has really made me look at how much plastic that I (and my family) use each day.  It may be impossible to get rid of all the plastic in your life.  But if you can eliminate just 10% each day, think of what a difference it will make.

Simple ways to remove plastic from daily life:

·         Bring your travel mug to the coffee shop, if you’re getting a cup to go

·         Carry a reusable water bottle everywhere

·         Use reusable Produce Bags at the grocery store or farmers’ market. Check out our Be Mindful Reusable Produce Bags.

·         Avoid plastic packaging – bring your own containers to the deli counter at the grocery store

·         Create your own home cleaning products using the glass jars you’ve saved after using

·         Create your own reusable travel kits

Plastic characterizes our consumer, throw-away culture. It represents the kind of thinking (and action) that has led to our current environmental crisis.

We’re addicted to convenience, much of which plastic makes possible.  If everyone moderates their consumption, we can move toward sustainability.

Take the plastic free challenge with me this month and send us your ideas about how to use less plastic! 

Free Meditations with Oprah and Deepak

Join Oprah and Deepak starting July 15 for three weeks of free meditations in Miraculous Relationships. 

I have done many of these 21-day mediation programs, and I love these challenges because they are free, easy to use, and always provide such a wonderful source of inspiration for my meditation practice.

The challenge starts, July 15th So, it's not too late to join Oprah and Deepak experience and become the love you seek. Sign up today!

9 Tips for Using Less Plastic in the Garden

As we learn more about the consequences of single-use plastic, it’s becoming easier for us to reduce, reuse, and recycle the plastic we use in our gardens. 

Here are a few tips to get you started:

·         Start your own seeds from paper packets. Use biodegradable seed cups or make your own from toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, or newspaper. If you must use plastic containers, return them to the gardening center afterward, so they can be reused. 

·         Order topsoil, compost, manure, and mulch in bulk from a local supplier that will deliver.

·         When setting up a raised garden bed, instead of spreading black plastic on the bottom to smother weeds, use cardboard or layers of newspaper.

·         Avoid plastic-coated trellises for plants like tomatoes, peas, and beans. Buy uncoated metal cages or use wooden stakes.

·         Buy plastic-free garden tools. Look for wooden handles and metal ends. Keep your tools in good condition by cleaning them regularly and don’t leave them outside where they’ll develop rust.

·         Buy cotton gardening gloves. 

·         Make your own plant markers from popsicle sticks, wooden or old wooden kitchen spoons.

·         Start your own seed bank by storing seeds for later planting in glass jars.

·         Make your own weed killer. Here’s a recipe I use: 

1-gallon vinegar

1 ½ cups epsom salt

2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid

When you’re gardening this summer, always look for the plastic free options. Mother Nature will thank you.

Live Stream Monday Night Dharma Talks From Spirit Rock Meditation Center

Living in Northern CA for the last 20 + years I have been blessed to often visit Spirit Rock Meditation Center.  Spirit Rock is dedicated the practice of mindful awareness and provides silent meditation retreats, as well as classes, trainings, and Dharma study opportunities for both beginners and experienced students.

One of my favorite offerings is the Monday Night Dharma Talks. I make the trip to Woodacre, CA, at least a few times a year to listen to Jack Kornfield (and friends) give these talks. It is amazing to mediate with a large group. If you are traveling to northern CA, Spirit Rock is about a half hour from San Francisco and a must-see for mindful visitors. This Monday, June 3rd, is a special Monday Night, that will focus on the Dharma of Climate Change.

These days living in Truckee, it is not easy for me to drive to Spirit Rock, but (hooray!) some of the Monday night Dharma Talks can now be accessed on the web or via Livestream (Sliding Scale form $0 to $108). Here is the link if you are interested.

Tonight’s Dharma Talk with Jack Kornfield runs from 7:15pm to 9:15pm(PST).

Oprah & Deepak’s 21-Day Meditation Experience, Manifesting Grace through Gratitude

It is that time again.  Four times a year, through the Chopra Meditation Center, Oprah and Deepak offer a NEW completely FREE series of 21 online guided meditations. I love the programs in this series and use them myself. Manifesting Grace through Gratitude. Starting March 25!

In Manifesting Grace through Gratitude, Oprah and Deepak lead you on a meditation journey to experience true happiness regardless of external circumstances, and appreciate the joy of simply being.

Beautiful soundscapes harmonize with Oprah & Deepak’s daily messages, mantra-based meditations, and centering thoughts. Start your journey towards feeling genuine gratitude each day – and experiencing the gifts grace has to offer in return – with Manifesting Grace through Gratitude! 

I have done many of these 21-day mediation programs by Oprah and Deepak, and I love these challenges because they are free, easy to use and always provide such a wonderful source of inspiration for my meditation practice.

The challenge starts, March 25th So, it's not too late to join Oprah and Deepak experience and step into your greatness. Sign up today!

Be well!

Relax with a Sound Bath for a Healing Meditation

Last week, I went to a Sound Bath and Reiki session at Three Feathers Holistic for an intimate meditation. After a few minutes of shuffling, I settled in and focused on the transcendental tones of the Tibetan singing bowls, used to encourage meditation and relaxation.

Sound healing is a mind-body approach to wellness.  Sound healers work to release tension held in the body with the help of vibration of sound.  Sound has been used in many cultures for thousands of years for healing purposes.  Sound healing can use chanting, music, and other types of sounds to calm the mind and help the body to heal itself. The sound is transmitted as vibrations of energy in the air at a certain wavelength. 

In my class, Gyongyi Ridenour, the founder of Gyoharmony, played the Tibetan singing bowls and gongs through channeling. As a participant I experienced full Body, Mind and Spirit relaxation, hearing the sound, feeling the vibration and receiving the wonderful healing energy.  Also, in this session, we had the added bonus of Reiki, with Tanya Fuller, RMT of Three Feathers Holistic. Reiki is a healing technique that uses touch.  The addition of Reiki to the Sound Bath was this very powerful combination.

The practice of Sound Therapy is getting more popular in wellness circles, with sound baths popping up at yoga studios and spas around the country. And, for good reason, using sound as therapy can help with various issues such as sleep disorders, anxiety, stress and pain management and more.

Check out your local listing for yoga studios that may offer sound therapy in your area.

For local Truckee folks the next Sounds Bath is Thurs . April 4th  at Three Feathers

Reiki Sound Bath is every 1st Thursday of the month, Feb-May, 6:00-7pm, $30

Mindfulness and Caregivers

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness and National Family Caregivers Month. Caring for someone with a form of dementia is stressful. According the National Alzheimer's Association, more than four in five caregivers would have liked more support in providing care for someone with dementia, especially from their family. With millions of Alzheimer's caregivers across the country, that leaves a lot of people in need of support.

I moved in with our grandmother to care for her when she was 94. At this point she had signs of dementia which would worsen over the next two years before she passed away. Symptoms include:

• Short term memory problems
• Confusion
• Repeatedly asking the same questions
• Becoming anxious and withdrawn
• Mood changes
• Becoming obsessive

When our grandmother began to experience these symptoms, she refused to see a doctor and was increasingly unable to move around, let alone leave the house. I would turn to meditation, to prayer, to yoga, and to my sister and friends for comfort and relief from the stress I was dealing with. My mindfulness practice deepened and it helped me to keep my temper and to find solutions to keep our grandmother comfortable at home as long as possible, as was her wish.

If you are a caregiver, try to incorporate more mindful awareness to your days to bring some semblance of calm when you need it most. Here's some information from our friends at Encore in the UK on Dealing with Dementia and important steps to take if you are a caregiver.

By Michele Garvey

Feel More Energy

With our busy lives, we often feel drained and have little time to for fun.  Taking time to breathe and re-center has become a crucial part of my daily routine, and I am a huge fan of Oprah and Deepak’s 21-day meditations. When I heard that Deepak was doing his own 21-day meditation, I knew I had to give it a try.

If you are looking for a way to reconnect with the youthful spirit, join Deepak on this journey to maximize energy, live a healthier lifestyle, and tap into your inner youth, no matter your chronological age.

The mediation stated today so I gave it a try this morning. I did miss Oprah at the beginning, but was grateful to be able to connect with Deepak as we explored our true nature and began to discover our path to health and happiness.

Check out this free meditation experience, Energize Your Life: Secrets for a Youthful Spirit. which started today, Monday, October 29. You have five days to listen to the mediation, so it’s not too late to join.

Thanks Deepak!  Wonderful way to start my morning, and I’m excited for the next 20 days!

Live Stream Monday Night Dharma Talks from Spirit Rock

Living in Northern CA for the last 20 + years I have been blessed to often visit Spirit Rock Meditation Center.  Spirit Rock is dedicated the practice of mindful awareness and provides silent meditation retreats, as well as classes, trainings, and Dharma study opportunities for both beginners and experienced students.

One of my favorite offerings is the Monday Night Dharma Talks. I make the trip to Woodacre, CA, at least a few times a year to listen to Jack Kornfield (and friends) give these talks. It is amazing to mediate with a large group. If you are traveling to northern CA, Spirit Rock is about a half hour from San Francisco and a must-see for mindful visitors.

Spirit Rock is visited by an estimated 40,000 peace-seekers every year and has become one of the most influential and well-attended meditation centers in the world. The teachings of the Buddha (Dharma) and the practices of Insight Meditation (Vipassana) and loving-kindness meditation (Metta) are at the heart of the programs.

These days living in Truckee, it is not easy for me to drive to Spirit Rock, but (hooray!) some of the Monday night Dharma Talks can now be accessed on the web or via Livestream on Facebook.  Due to my kid’s soccer game, I missed Jack’s Monday’s talk on Sept 17th, but could view it on Facebook later in the week for free. Here is the link if you are interested.

If you can't make it to the talks in-person, you can sign up for the livestream or follow Spirit Rock on Facebook.

Monday Night Dharma talks are an amazing gathering where you can quiet the mind and open your heart, and now you can do it virtually. Check out the live webcasts, they are held some Monday nights from 7:15 - 9:15pm PDT. "Spirit Rock Live: Monday Nights with Jack Kornfield and Friends."  

Win a Reusable Produce Carry Sac during the month of August

When I began the Plastic Free July Challenge, I did not realize that I was going to  connect with so many people who are also interested in going plastic-free and zero-waste living. I’m happy to be a part of such a growing community that believes in the power of personal action.

One of my inspirations during the Challenge was fillgood.co Founder and Chief Zero Waste Officer, Stéphanie Regni. I had the opportunity to chat with Stéphanie the other day to learn more about her company and am excited to partner with her on a Reusable Produce Carry Sac giveaway during the month of August (details below.)

What is on fillgood.co?

Fillgood mission is to help people reduce single use plastics at home. Recycling is not a sustainable solution for plastics. We need to adopt plastic-free alternatives that won't pollute our environment forever. That's what inspired me to start Fillgood. I've selected all natural and safe home and body products, in a reusable or compostable packaging. You can also find the basic zero waste items like reusable utensils, straws, produce bags... And finally, what makes us unique, a local refill service: just like the milk man used to deliver milk in american homes and collect empty bottles, we deliver laundry detergent, dish soap, skincare products and more. The empty bottles are cleaned, sanitized and refilled. So far, thanks to our zero waste customers, we have avoided 1084 lbs of plastic packaging!

What inspired you do to the July Plastic Free Challenge?

When I started reducing waste at home for my family of 4, I changed the products I was using since they were all packaged in plastic.  For example, I stopped purchasing liquid shampoo because 552 million plastic bottles of shampoo are discarded every ear in the US!  Instead, my family uses shampoo bars: that's easy to use and avoids so much plastic waste.

A Plastic Free July Challenge was a great opportunity to learn what we can all do and be inspired, so I shared almost everything I know in these 31 blog posts, co-written with Zero Waste California.

In this journey in the zero waste community, I realized there are so many little changes we can make everyday, easy changes that make a real difference for our environment. In addition, changing our lifestyle to be respectful of our beautiful planet is also a  way to be happier everyday. It's impossible to change everything at once but as I say all the time, start somewhere, pick one thing from the challenge and when you've found your plastic-free alternative, start another one.  It's a step by step process.

What are three things you learned from the Plastic Free Challenge?

I spent hours of research each week to write my Plastic Free July Challenge blog posts. This helped me a lot in getting new plastic-free habits:

• I learned how to organize a birthday party without plastic and with sustainable goodie bags
• My daughters are too old for diapers but I learned a lot about cloth diapers. Although it's a big challenge, it's less complicated than I thought. And this was an opportunity to make my own diaper change lotion, which is actually an excellent makeup and face painting remover!
• When it comes to shaving, the main zero waste solution people talk about is razors. Personally I prefer waxing, so I found an all natural sugar wax recipe and it's awesome! 

What are three things you will continue to do?
Purchase plastic free makeup products: I've just found great brands online, now I'm in the testing phase, but I won't go back to plastic packaging.

Bring my own containers for food leftovers: each time I'm going to a restaurant, I'm trying to remember to bring a stainless steel container. I hate to waste food and I don't want to get stuck with another plastic to go box. It's a work in progress. Same when I order on the go: hot food in a plastic container is very unhealthy, toxic plastic additives leach into the food. A good old mason jar will perfectly do the job!

Refuse single use plastics more and more, especially all these little plastic things we receive as "gifts": samples, little toys, balloons... these can never be recycled, they are pilling up in our environment. Refusing is the most efficient solution to stop the plastic pollution crisis.

I hope the lessons that Stéphanie  shared from Plastic Free July help you reduce the amount of plastic you use. A

Every week until August 30th we will give away one these beautiful Reusable Cotton Produce Sacs.

The rules:

1. Place an order or sign up to our newsletter here → https://mailchi.mp/fillgood.co/bemindfulgiveaway
2. Follow us and fillgood.co on Instagram or Facebook: @fillgood.co and @bemindfultruckee

We’ll draw a winner every Thursday of August: the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th!

Orders and newsletter signups considered are the ones placed the week before. For example, on Thursday 9th, we’ll take into account the orders and signups placed between August 2nd and 8th.

Entrants must have a US shipping address. A winner will be randomly selected, must not be affiliated with Instagram or Facebook. Giveaway closes on Wednesday August 29th at midnight.

The best way to reduce plastic pollution is to refuse, rethink, and reduce what we consume. Check out fillgood.co for your Zero Waste shopping needs and follow on instagram!

Choose Your Energy, Change Your Life!

It is that time again.  Four times a year, through the Chopra Meditation Center, Oprah and Deepak offer a NEW completely FREE series of 21 online guided meditations. I love the programs in this series and use them myself. Their newest program, Energy of Attraction, started today, July 23rd, 2018!

People from spiritual traditions throughout the world have long reported that regular meditation actually results in greater efficiency, productivity and abundance. Join Oprah and Deepak on a transformative meditation journey, as they reveal the secrets to attracting all the love, success, and happiness you desire. Tap into your true ability to co-create with the universe, let go of constricting beliefs to embrace all possibilities for success, and harness your power to manifest your best and most meaningful life.

I have now done many of these 21-day mediation programs by Oprah and Deepak, and I love these challenges because they are free, easy to use and always provide such a wonderful source of inspiration for my meditation practice.

The challenge started today, July 23rd. So, it's not too late to join Oprah and Deepak experience and step into your greatness. Sign up today!

Be well!

Plastic Free July Challenge

Plastic is taking over our planet, and it is happening breakneck pace.  Almost half of the plastic ever manufactured has been made in the past 15 years. 8 billion pounds of plastic finds its way to the ocean each year.  At our current rate of plastic production, consumption, and disposal, the oceans will contain more plastic then fish by 2050! 

So, what can we do to stop this plastic consumption? I believe that action, even by a few people can make a difference. I decided to take the Plastic Free July Challenge again this year. This month, I will join tens of thousands of people around the world in an attempt to forgo plastic. I did the Challenge last year for the first time and it really made me look at how much plastic that I (and my family) use each day.

Simple ways to remove plastic from daily life:

·         Bring your travel mug to the coffee shop if you’re getting a cup to go

·         Carry a reusable water bottle everywhere

·         Give up plastic bags - you can try lining your trashcan with newspaper as shown in the Treading My Own Path blog.

·         Avoid plastic packaging – bring your own containers to the deli counter at the grocery store

·         Create your own home cleaning products using glass jars

·         Create your own reusable travel kits

Plastic epitomizes our consumer, throw-away culture. It represents the kind of thinking (and action) that has led to our current environmental crisis. We’re addicted to convenience, much of which plastic makes possible.  If everyone moderates their consumption, we will move toward sustainability.

Take the plastic free challenge with me this month and send us your ideas about how to use less plastic!